Puppet-valve for internal-combustion engines.



r, o. SHEPHERD. P UPPET VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21. NHL

1,252,501. Patented 32111.8,1918.

F. D. SHEPHERD.

PUPPET VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2!. [9X].

Patented J an. 8, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fr erm ne a FRANK D. SHEPHERD, F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

BUFFET-VALVE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES of Salt Lake City, Utah, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Puppet-Valves for Internal-Combustion Engines, and do hereby declare that the tollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof. i

vMy invention relates to puppet valves and especially thoseadapted for use with internal combustion engines, and my object generallystated, is-to provide a valve. contruc tionwhich will increase the powerofthe engine, or to put it differently, will secure economy of use. of fuel; which will efficiently and certainly perform its functions of closing and opening, so that whenclosed upon its seat it can be depended upon to cut oil completely the flow of gas, and when open will allow-free and ample passage; will be simple of construction, hence contribute to economy :ofmanufacture as well as eliminating danger of becoming disordered; and will be readily and easily accessible for removal and replacement of the parts, whose removal and replacement may be desirable, and for the attainment of this object and others which will be understood by those skilled in the art when the characteristics of the valve embodying my invention are understood from the accompanying drawings and description, myinvention consists in the valve mechanism constructed substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate several f( rms, 0r embodiments of my invention- Figure 1 is a vertical section through an internal combustion engine having a valve embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, but showing only the valve mechanism and immediately adjacent parts, of another embodiment of my invention;

' Fig. 2 is a detail view, in side elevation with parts in section, showing an integral construction of valve stem and spring-engaging disk;

Fi 's. 3 and 4, are detail views, in section,

showing the lower portion. of each of two forms or spring container. and guide in which my invention may be embodied, -dif-- :feringfromthe similar device shown in other figures;

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

Application filed May-21, 1917. Serial No. 169,945.

tion, showing a means for rotatably connecting a loose valve stem and valve head for grinding the latter on its seat;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the valvehead alone in the arrangement shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an end view of the lower endof the valve stem alone in said arrangement;

Fig. 13 is a detail View, in side elevation, of a tool enablingthe valve head of the loose valve head and, valve stem construction, as shown in Figs. 2 and 10, to be ground on its seat.

Giving a detail description of the construction shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the engine cylinder 10 shown is of the type having the head 11 cast integraltherewith, and connected with said head there are as many puppet valves, as, in the judgment of the designer, it is proper, or desirable to employ, but for the purpose of disclosing my invention to those skilled in the art it is not necessary to show and describe more than one valve mechanism, which thus is to be taken as representative, or typical for both the intake and the exhaust, and for as many as it may be desirable, or expedient to employ. My invention, as will be evident, has' to do with the valve construction and not with the number employed (although its construction is such as to render unnecessary multiplication of the number) nor is my in vention concerned with the particular type, or construction of theengine, or the mechanism for lifting the valve from its seat.

, In the engine head eccentric to the cylinder,I provide an opening 12 which extends from the outer end of the head into the port 18, which is controlled by the valve mechanism, for which purpose, directly in line with said opening 12 and on the opposite side of the port it has a beveled seat 14 for the puppet valve 15 whose face, or rim is correspondingly beveled so that it closely, and in a gas tight manner, fits its seat. Sc

enough'to cause cured in said hole 12 is one end of a cylinas shown in Figs. 1 and 2), in which case,

5 t e shell is held in place by screws or bolts 1Z that pass through holes in lugs or flanges 16 and into tapped holes in the cylinder head. Or, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the portion of the shell in the hole in the cylin- 5 and cylinder head. The outer end of the 1 shell 16 is closed by a cap plate 18 which is bolted to the. outer end of the shell by bolts 19, passing into threaded holes in lugs or ilanges on the shell, a gas tight joint being assufedbytheiprovision of a gasket between the abutting surfaces-of the 05 plate and the shell 16. The cap plate'an the flanges or lugs on the shell may have any desirable contour, such for example, as the oval, triangular, or square shapes shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8. p

i The inner end of the shell or the end contiguous to the port 13 is closed save for a central hole 20 through whichpasses, with a sliding fit, a stem 21 on the valve, said stem reaching into the chamber in said shell and having mounted upon it adisk, or head 22 'of substantially the diameter of the chamber in the shell and 'upon which head bears the inner end of an expansible coil sprin 23, which by pressure on the valve transmltted through said head and stem yieldingly holds the valve to its seat from which it is lifted by the usual lifter cam 24 acting through a stem 25 on the opposite side of the valve the spring 23 is concentric with the valve axis, and hence, exerts a. pressure on the valve which is balanced, that is to say, it is accompanied by no sidewise, or tiltin action, and hence, no tendency'to wear 0 I the stem and guide on one side with a consequent tilting, or cocking of the valve on its seat eakage. 'sultingfrom such unequal wear, is the sucking in of air which spoils the mixture of gas from the carbureter and thus-the power of the engine is impaired. A serious objection to leakage ofgas past the valve is erosion, or cutting y the gas that takes place.

The spring bearing-head 22 maybe integral with the valve stem as shown in Fig. 2' or formed separatetherefrom Fi s. land 2, in which case, it-hasa centra hdle that fits the reduced end of the 'valve stem and is seated upon a shoulder 26 formed by the reduction of the end of the valve stem and whether the construction be integral or separate, the valve stem projects-slightly beyond the head 22 to give access to a suitable tool for grinding thevalve on its seat, the valve der head may be externally threaded so as to from the stem 21. It will be observed that Another evil restemhavingthe proper formation for engagement by said tool.. From end to endthe head 22 is perforated, as by several holes 27, to allow the free passage of air, and thereby prevent such suction between the inner sideof the head and the adjacent stationary surface as would hinder,-or obstruct, perfectly free movement of the head and of thevalve when the latter is lifted from its seat, and to prevent the existence of" an air cushion that would obstruct, or hinder the seating movement of the valve. There is no com munication between the interior of the shell and the outside air.

When the spring bearing head 22 is made separate from the valve stem it can be either detachably or permanently connected to, the stem-21 and in any desired 'way. It/(may simply slip on the reduced end of theaistem 21 and the stem end riveted or headed down; or it may be screwed on to the stem and the projecting end of the stem upset; or it may The stem 21 may be integral with the valve head, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 or it may be separate therefrom} as shown in Figs. 2, 2*, 10 and 11, and the stem ,25 may be integral with the valve, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, or separate therefrom as shown in Figs. 1 and 9. The valve head may have in its under seat a .semispherical cavity or socket 28, and the contiguous end of the stem provided with a ball-like orrounded end 29,

so that a ball'and socket joint is provided, which renders the construction a very flexi ble one that compensates for any inequality in alinement of parts and assures the tight seating of the valve. v

The valve head is given ample body toenable it to stand tremendous pressure and" temperature without warping or bending out of shape, by giving it on either or hot sides a substantially conical form, so that it, gradually thickens in. diameter from the stem outward. As shown in Fig. -1, the thickened portion is on the side toward the stem 21, while in Figs. 2and 5, it is on the opposite side. When on the side shown in Fig. '1, to accommodate this thickened portion of the head when the'valve lifts from its seat, the end'of the shell 16 toward the valve is provided with a correspondingly shaped cavity 31 which extends inward from the plane of the outer wall of the port 13. Thus ample space for the movement of the valve is provided without unduly increasing the. depth of the port 13. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the diameter of the smaller end of the cavity 31 is substantially greater than the diameter of the stem and the hole in the shell through which the stem passes, so that a shoulder 32 is provided that surrounds the of the spring and stem at the inner end of the cavity, which performs the useful function of scraping from the valve stem any deposits of carbon or other matters upon the valve stem and thus the danger of such deposits wedging or packing in the concavity,

This consideration and causing the valve to stick is avoided. is of specialimportance in view of the use of low gravity gasolene and fuel oil Whose combustion results in a good deal of carbon and gummy matters.

As shown in Fig. 1, I employ a liner for the interior of the shell 16, and for the opening; in the inner end of the shell through which the valve stem 21 is guided. The liner for both may consist of a single shell 38 with comparativelythin walls. .Said liner is removable so that when wear from the action the stem results, it is not necessary to discard the entire shell, but merely to remove the worn liner and replace it. Said liner may be made of cheaper metal than the shell, or vice versa, so as to reduce the cost of manufacture and it may be made of the alloy known as frictionless or self-lubricating metal and thus makeunnecessary any special lubricant. The liner, can be secured to the shell by being pressed into place or in any other desired way. If desired, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the liner may be used only about the stem 21, and as illustrated in Fig. 3, a construction may be employed in which it is omitted altogether.

The valve head may be beveled on the side opposite theseating side as well as on "the latter, as therebythe gases will pass more freely around the valve head, but I do not limit myself to beveling both sides or either side.

As shown in Fig. 9, the lifting stem when made separate from the valve head may be provided Withan enlargement 34 at its upper end which bears against the lower end of a substantially conical enlargement or projection on the under side of the valve head. A disk 35 of-insulating material may be placed at the bottom of the spring container or shell 16 to prevent the transmission of objectionable temperature to the interiorof the spring container with consequent injury to the temper of the spring, but I do not limit myself to the employment of such insulator.

, When used, it maybe of any suitable material that is a non-conductor of heat.

To reduce the unoccupied space or volume in the shell lfi'to a minimum and thus preclude the presence in said shell of more than a negligible quantity into the shell occur, I place Within the outer end of the coil spring a large'a diameter and of as great length as possible Without interfering with the play of the spring and the movements of the valve. This idea may be carried out in various forms, such for example, as those shown in of gas should leakage filling piece of as my application for Patent, No. 147,396, filed Feb. 8, 1917. 'I illustrate inthis application but one construction embodying s'uch idea, it being shown in. Fig. 1. Said filling piece is in the form of a cylindrical block 36, situated within the outer end portion of the coil spring and having on its outer end, a flange or head 37 that affords a bearing for the outer end of the spring. Said head 37 is maybe provided with ribs or fins for aircooling purposes, as illustrated in mybefore mentioned application. Matters of this sort will depend upon the kind and requirements of the engine and the valve. l

I have shown various forms, or embodiments of my invention, in order that it may be understood that I realize that such invention may exist in different forms. It, of course, can have embodiments other than those selected by way of example, and, hence, it is to be understood that Iregard myself as entitled to its embodiments in still other forms than those shown in the drawings. When the upper valve stem is made separate from the valve head as shown in Figs. 2, 2 11 and 12 any one of several ways may be pursued for applying power to the head 15 to rotate the same for grinding it on its seat; for example, as shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, a square or other angular shaped coupling pin 40 may enter a correspondingly shaped socket 41 in the top of the valve 4-2 in the lower end of the valve stem 21; or as shown in Fig. 13, a tool 43 may be employed having at its lower end a squared or other angular shaped projection 44 adapted to lit the socket 41 in the upper side of the valve head 15, and having an angular shank 45 adapted to be engaged with the socket of a brace.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination of an engine cylinder having a valve-controlled passage, with a valve seat, "a puppet valve, a shell or container, a spring in said shell, a valve stem passingthrough an opening into the container and acted upon by said spring, and a removable liner for said container.

, 2. The combination of an engine cylinder having a valve controlled passage, with a at its upper end i valve seat, a puppet valve, a shell or conremovable liner for said container with portions that inclose the spring and the stem. 3. The combination of an engine cylinder having a valve-controlled passage with a valve seat, a puppet valve, a shell or container, a spring in said shell acting to hold the valve yieldingly to its seat a stem extending from the valve into said shell, the valve having a tapering thickened portion reaching to the stem, and a surface opposite the valve seat that has a' cavity to receive said thickened portion of the valve, said cavity being substantially larger in diameter at its inner end than the stem, to form a space thereat around thestem.

4. The combination of an engine cylinder having a valve-controlled passage, with a valve seat, a puppet valve, a shell or con- 'tainer, a spring in said shell, a filling piece in said spring for a portion of its length and,

having a spring engaging shoulder, and a a spring tension-adjusting device, engaging said filling piece.

5. The combination of an engine cylinder, having a valve controlled passage with a valve seat, a puppet valve, a lifting stem made separate from the valverand a ball and socket bearing between the valve and said stem.

6; The combination of an engine cylinder having a valve-controlled passage, wlth a valve seat, a puppet valve, a shell or container, a spring in said shell, a' valve stem passing through an opening into the eonw have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK D. SHEPHERD. 

